London — Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Brazilian international midfielder Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk as Jose Mourinho seeks to topple reigning Premier League Champions Manchester City. The 25-year-old will cost the English giants a reported fee of about £52m and give Mourinho a powerful-looking midfield, with the Brazilian set to slot in alongside Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic. A statement on the club’s website said: "Manchester United is delighted to announce it has reached agreement with Shakhtar Donetsk for the transfer of Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos [Fred]." Beating City to the signature of Fred, who was a target for the English champions in January, could prove to be a significant first step. Fred caught the eye in Shakhtar’s run to the last-16 of the Champions League, where the Ukrainians only lost out on away goals to Roma. A stunning free-kick in the first leg of that tie was a glimpse of what Fred’s talented left foot can produce. However, he is far mo...
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